Bacterial infection is a serious threat to human and animal life. Antibiotics have been developed that counter bacterial infection. The first antibiotic drug, Penicillin, was discovered in 1928 and turned out to be very effective in combating bacterial infections. Penicillin has literally saved millions of human lives. Many more antibiotics have been discovered since. However, resistance is emerging to existing antibiotics and increasing globalization is adding to the rapid spread of bacterial infections. So-called superbugs are emerging that are resistant to virtually all currently known antibiotics. These now form a serious threat to human life. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, the best known superbug, now kills more Americans each year than AIDS. In addition, extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae are resistant to most antibiotics. The first human death in The Netherlands resulting from infection with ESBL-producing bacteria was reported in 2010. Pathogenic Streptococcus pneumoniae and Mycobacterium tuberculosis are (re-)emerging as human disease-inducing agents as well.
Therefore, there is an increasing need in the art for novel antibiotics, preferably novel antibiotics that are useful for combating infection by bacteria that are resistant to most or all currently known antibiotics. It is an object of the present invention to provide such a novel antibiotic, methods for its production and for its use in treating bacterial infections.